Instep-support.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1905.

Application filed ve 19, 1904. Serial No. 233,403.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that LLEON T. J. LUBIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Instep-Supports, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel instep-support adapted to be applied inside a boot or shoe when the wearer has a so-called fiat instep which needs unusual support. Heretofore this class of support has been made of'a piece of leather having connected to its under side an arched piece of metal, usually of German silver, the arch being directed upwardly to support the bottom of the instep and also extended laterally and upwardly to support the inner side of the instep. In practice the rigid metal arch-piece applied to and forming the under side of the instep-support owing to the strain on the same is frequently broken across the line of juncture of the metatarsal and phalanges of the foot or where the foot is bent across the ball in walking, and the support is thus destroyed. In my efforts to overcome the breaking of the metallic arch-piece I have shortened the arch-piece and combined therewith a supporting-plate on which the front endof the arch-piece turns as the-foot is bent in walking.

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of an arch-piece representing my invention. Fig. 2 shows the same overturned. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section in the line 00, Fig. 1; and Fig. I is a cross-section in the line 90. I

Referring to the drawings, A represents a piece of leather suitably shaped to fit the shoe, the leather being curled upwardly at one side, as at A, to fit the hollow or insideline of the instep. To the under side of the top part A of the arch-support I connect by rivets a an arch-piece B, which is shorter than the usual arch-piece, and to said upper portion A, I also attach by rivets c a supporting-plate O, the outer end of the arch-piece overlapping the inner end of the support and turning thereover as the foot is bent in walking. Viewing Fig. 3, it will be noticed that the arch-piece is bent in the direction of the length of the shoe, and viewing Fig. 4 it will be observed that said arch-piece is also bent in the direction of its width, leaving its inner edge I) extended upwardly into the hollow at the inside of the instep.

This invention is not limited to the particular shape shown for the supporting-plate C or to the particular distance that the outer end of the arch-piece overlaps the inner end of the support. I have found in practice that an arch-piece such as shown will support the arch of the foot practically more satisfactorily than if the arch-piece were the full length of the arch-piece and support, and that by shortening the arch-piece and permitting its outer end to rock on the support I obviate wholly the breaking of the arch-piece, and consequently the destructionof the instep-support.

The dotted lines, Fig. 3, show the end of the arch-piece as rolling over the support. If desired, I may apply a separate metallic support, as shown by dotted lines a, at the heel or inner end of the arch-piece. I desire it to be understood that the support on which the end of the arch-piece rolls may be located at either end of the arch-piece, and I have consequently addeda second support a at the heel end ofthe instep-support andhave connected the same to the top piece by rivets 6.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An instep support comprising a top piece, an arch-piece and a support for one end of the arch-piece, both of said pieces being permanently attached to said top piece and the end of the arch-piece overlapping the free end of the support.

2. An instep support comprising a top piece, an underlying metallic arch-piece, and a metallic support, both said arch-piece and support being permanently attached to the under side of the top piece, the end of the arch-piece turning on the upper side of said support.

3. An instep support comprising a top piece, an underlying metallic arch-piece, and a metallic supporting-plate, both attached permanently at separate points, to the under side of said top piece, the end of the arch-piece overlapping the end of the supporting-plate and turning thereover.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEON T. J. LUBIN.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, MARGARET A. DUNN. 

